Dispatches From the Set – Amy Lacy (Script Supervisor)

The Walking Dead‘s script supervisor Amy Blanc Lacy talks about keeping track of cuts, weapons and wardrobes and what she’s learned from staring at zombies.

Q: One of your main responsibilities is ensuring the continuity of the show. Has that gotten easier or more difficult over time?

A: This is the number one the hardest job I’ve ever done in my life. We may have two units going at once shooting two or three episodes, on any given day. You have to communicate between all those stages, and have the notes, and remember what characters had a split on their nose or wrist or blood on their left arm, and what hand they had the gun in. Were they carrying a knife or did they throw that one out? And it’s a lot of people to keep track of in one scene.

Q: When you’re on set, how do you catch all these small things?

A: I take continuity pictures. And some characters have certain set wardrobes; Maggie, for example, has an engagement ring, so I always know to look for that, and other characters carry certain guns or knives.

Q: Any particular characters that are the most challenging in terms of continuity?

A: I dare not tell! I might not make it until next season.

Q: Do the actors help you out? They must know what their character is supposed to carry and wear…

A: The good thing about all the actors is that it’s like a team. I don’t have any problem going up to Andy, and saying, “Put this in your left hand,” and him going, “Oh yeah! Thank you.” If I miss something, and the prop team comes up to me and is like, “Amy, you forgot this.” It’s like alright, let’s make it right. That happens sometimes, but I’m happy to say not often.

Q: What about walker scenes — are those joyrides or nightmares for you on set?

A: They’re difficult, because it’s hard for me to look at them and my job is to stare at what’s going on. If you think about fighting these walkers, all that stuff that shoots out when you hit them or poke them? In my opinion, we should be a lot bloodier than we are!

A: I’ll be talking to my kids and I’ll notice when my son Oliver says, “Hey Mom, you know where the basketball is?” while running across the room, and I’ll think to myself, oh he’s running right to left. I’ll do things like that randomly. It’s silly, but that’s a huge part of my job.